Hupspot DKIM Email Setup Guide

Setting up DKIM for your Hubspot email sending domain is essential for protecting your brand, improving deliverability, and keeping your marketing emails out of spam folders. This guide walks you through what DKIM is, why it matters, and exactly how to configure it in your Hubspot account.

What DKIM Is and How It Works in Hubspot

DKIM, or DomainKeys Identified Mail, is an email authentication method that allows receiving mail servers to verify that messages were authorized by the owner of the sending domain, and that the content has not been altered in transit.

When you enable DKIM in your email platform, each outgoing message is signed with a unique cryptographic signature in the email header. The receiving server checks that signature against a public key published in your domain’s DNS records. If the check is valid, the message is more likely to be trusted.

Within Hubspot, DKIM support is built into the email sending tools. You only need to connect your sending domain and add the correct DNS records. Once the records are verified, Hubspot will automatically sign eligible outgoing messages with DKIM.

Benefits of DKIM for Hubspot Email Sending

Configuring DKIM for your marketing and sales emails provides several important benefits:

• Improved deliverability: Authenticated email is more likely to land in the inbox instead of spam or promotions tabs.
• Brand protection: DKIM makes it harder for attackers to spoof your domain in phishing campaigns.
• Integrity of content: Receiving servers can confirm that the message was not modified after it left Hubspot.
• Stronger reputation: ISPs and spam filters factor DKIM into your sending reputation, which affects long-term performance.

Combined with SPF and DMARC, DKIM helps create a stronger authentication framework for all email sent through your Hubspot account.

Prerequisites Before Configuring DKIM in Hubspot

Before you start the configuration process, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• Administrative access to your Hubspot account’s email settings.
• Access to your DNS hosting provider (such as GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or your registrar).
• A verified sending domain that will be associated with your marketing emails.

You do not need deep technical expertise, but you should be comfortable adding DNS records or be able to work with someone who manages your domain.

Step-by-Step: Set Up DKIM for Your Domain in Hubspot

The exact navigation may vary slightly depending on your account, but the overall process in Hubspot is consistent.

1. Open Email Domain Settings in Hubspot

1. Sign in to your Hubspot account.
2. Go to your account settings by selecting the settings icon.
3. Navigate to the email or domains section where you manage sending domains.
4. Locate the option to connect or manage email sending domains.

From this area, you will select the domain you want to authenticate with DKIM.

2. Choose or Add Your Sending Domain

1. If your domain is already listed, select it to review the status and configuration options.
2. If not, follow the prompts to add a new sending domain that matches the address you use for marketing email (for example, example.com).
3. Confirm the primary sending address format and any subdomain you plan to use, if applicable.

Hubspot will then generate the DNS records needed for authentication.

3. Copy the DKIM DNS Records from Hubspot

When you configure authentication for a sending domain, your Hubspot dashboard will display details for the required DNS records. Typically, you will see:

• One or more CNAME records used for DKIM.
• Sometimes additional records for other types of authentication or tracking.

For each record, note the following values:

• Host / Name: The label of the DNS entry (for example, selector1._domainkey).
• Type: Usually CNAME for DKIM in this context.
• Value / Points to: The target host value provided by Hubspot.

Copy these values exactly as they appear. Accuracy is critical for successful DKIM validation.

4. Add the DKIM Records to Your DNS Provider

1. Log in to your DNS hosting provider’s dashboard.
2. Locate the DNS management or zone editor tool for your domain.
3. For each DKIM entry from Hubspot:
   1. Create a new DNS record.
   2. Set the Type to CNAME (unless otherwise instructed).
   3. Paste the Host / Name exactly as shown.
   4. Paste the Value / Points to exactly as provided.
   5. Save the record.
4. Wait for DNS propagation. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on your provider and TTL settings.

If you are unsure where to add these records, your IT or web team, or a consultant familiar with DNS, can assist. External optimization partners such as Consultevo can also help ensure your configuration follows best practices.

5. Verify DKIM Status in Your Hubspot Account

1. Return to your Hubspot domain settings page.
2. Locate the domain you configured and open its authentication details.
3. Use the provided option to check, verify, or refresh the status of your DNS records.
4. If the records have propagated, the DKIM status should change to a verified or connected state.

If verification does not succeed immediately, wait longer for propagation and then try again. Make sure that the host names and values in DNS match exactly what Hubspot displays.

Troubleshooting DKIM Issues in Hubspot

If you encounter problems getting DKIM to verify, consider the following checks:

• Typos in DNS records: A single extra character or missing dot can cause validation to fail.
• Wrong record type: DKIM CNAME records added as TXT or another type will not work.
• Extra domain added by the provider: Some DNS dashboards append the root domain automatically; ensure you are not duplicating it.
• Multiple conflicting records: Old DKIM or similar records may conflict with new entries.
• Insufficient time for propagation: Wait the full TTL period if necessary, then recheck in Hubspot.

Once validation passes, newly sent emails from the configured domain will include a DKIM signature generated by your Hubspot platform.

Best Practices After Enabling DKIM with Hubspot

DKIM is one part of a broader email authentication and deliverability strategy. To maximize the benefit of the configuration you just completed, follow these practices:

• Enable and correctly configure SPF to authorize Hubspot servers.
• Implement DMARC with a monitoring policy before moving to stricter enforcement.
• Use consistent sending domains and avoid frequent changes.
• Maintain clean contact lists and remove hard bounces and spam complainers.
• Monitor open rates, click rates, and bounce metrics for signs of deliverability shifts.

For additional technical detail about how DKIM works and how it is applied by marketing tools, you can review the original reference on the Hubspot DKIM authentication overview.

Summary: Why DKIM Matters for Hubspot Users

By configuring DKIM for your sending domain, you help mail providers confirm that your marketing and transactional emails truly come from your organization and have not been altered in transit. In turn, that boosts trust, improves inbox placement, and safeguards your brand identity.

Once your DNS records are in place and verified, Hubspot will automatically sign outgoing messages with DKIM, letting you focus on campaign strategy, content, and optimization while benefiting from a more secure and reliable email infrastructure.